


have a cup of tea

by tenderfirstlove



Series: Tales of Byleth and the Goddess Sothis. [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Autistic My Unit | Byleth, Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, any tw will be in the beginning notes of any chapters if needed, no beta we die like men, using divine pulse has consequences
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29357439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenderfirstlove/pseuds/tenderfirstlove
Summary: Byleth never quite understood what went on inside his own body, he was aware of all those feelings, but they seemed disembodied and distant.When he gets recruited by the academy, that seems to change for better or worse and he experiences the most excruciating thing in the world:Love.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth
Series: Tales of Byleth and the Goddess Sothis. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621498
Kudos: 8





	have a cup of tea

**Author's Note:**

> Canon divergent retelling of Azure Moon route (or what if Byleth was just a little more open to emotionalism?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth meets the girl from his dreams once more, who turns out to be more than just a random face his mind had remembered.

The first thing he noticed was the cold, and then the dampness in the air that was thick with pressure, and lastly the sound of water droplets all around him. He could feel it, strangely, though it was not a part of him. It flowed down around him, down stairs and in between cracks, down the sides of the slab of stone he laid upon. Streaks which were once separate flowing together into a thin pool on the floor. Once he opened his eyes he was overtaken by the place he saw, it was a place he'd seen many times before in his dreams, and so he supposed this visit must be one too.

He could feel the frailty of his body and the slowness of his mind in the cold, breath coming out in visible clouds from his mouth as he sat up and got off the sopping slab, clothes dry as if he'd never sat down in the first place. 

Straining his ears he heard a faint voice, distant but blaring in his ears, whispers dragging over his skin as he neared the behemoth of stairs leading to the green light. Blinking his tiredness away just enough to see, he made way to climb the wet stones, water was covering everything, and any surface. It was bare, translucent just enough to make out engraved patterns into the stones below his feet.

He managed to drag himself to the top of the stairs, only to be greeted by a young, child-looking creature with pointed ears. He had never gotten to the top of the stairs before, not like this. The massive throne made from engraved stone always sat empty for him, its surface dry and rough against his skin if he'd touch it. The being wore a frivolous dress, with many adornments of silver and gold, and their eyes were closed with such composure he had thought them dead before they opened to reveal a vibrant and vivacious green.

_"Who might you be? Seeking council with the Goddess? I find it so strange to see you here of all places."_

The person's hands fell away, to rest on her revealed knee, her skin seeming green in the light of the cracks above them.

_"Tis rude to interrupt such slumber, come hither so I may take a look at you."_

It was then Byleth realised the creature upon the throne is feminine as his ears processed the words after his shock. She seemed unbothered by his presence, and her tassels moved with her head as she beckoned him with a faint expression of annoyance.

_"Tell me, child, what are you?"_

Her lips lean down and she stills as if she were an expensive porcelain doll, the type that ached and creaked when the fine bone touched and skidded across, the type that made Byleth's ears shrill and cower.

"I am of mortal origin."

Without even meaning to, he found himself following the wagging of her finger without objection, feet moving without feeling until he was standing barely a feet from her gaze.

_"It is strange, how you feel familiar to me, but I have not come to know you yet. Tell me your name, if you have one. Otherwise you shall grow accustomed to the title I give thee."_

Despite the chattering cold, the knockings of his teeth and the sudden warmth the light brought over him he spoke so freely it was as though he'd swallowed freshly spilt rainwater.

"Byleth."

She looked amused, and Byleth only looked to her then, looked _at_ her with conviction and he took in her colours. Fanciful blues and golden tones, cool greens of her hair and the hint of silvers here and there, stripes of white and pink flowing without care despite the lack of wind in their little cave below ground. 

Then she laughed, heavily and without much grace as her decorum would allow. 

_"I shall never grow accustomed to the sound of human names..!"_

And then it rests into a smile, her lips etched shut as Byleth looked to her blankly. He can almost feel what that smile tastes like on his own lips, the curve and its angle imprinted in his skin and he finds his own lips lifting to match before it falls away as his head starts to ache and pound with such force he'd thought gales of wind had come down below.

He can feel her, somewhere, all around.

Even if she's right in front of him.

On that stone.

_"Tell me upon which moon were you born to this world?"_

She settled against the cold, relaxed now that she knows some things about the strange traveller.

"Horsebow Moon on the 20th."

Her lips pursed in thought before it returned to smile, her posture slumping as she settled into her original position that Byleth had found her in.

_"Let's hope this world's wonders may never cease! It seems we share our day of birth."_

She leans her head back onto her hand, and her legs cross once again, eyes closing shut again without any wavering motions.

_"Hmm.. It all feels so familiar for some reason. I think it may be time for yet another nap.. Yes. It is almost time.. time to.. begin..."_

Byleth looks on at her, she's seemingly gone back into a restless slumber from which she came from, and when Byleth turns around to returns to that cool, firm slab of strange comforts all he sees is daybreak and all he can hear are the sounds of familiar boots on the wooden flooring of a cabin he is just beginning to remember. Before he can say a word his father approached and gives his hair a stroke of fondness before leaning away.

"Hey. Time to wake up."

He let out a tired groan, turning in his bed before pushing the covers off and sitting up, as he woke up more and more he started to feel the sweat that drenched his neck and back, with a lazed hand he tried to wipe it away as it made him feel gross. He felt the mattress beneath him depress as his father sat down next to him, a cold wet rag in hand which made its way over his face and neck, he only leaned into it., "Were you having that dream again?" His father questioned softly, helping him out of his sopping clothes knowingly. Sometimes there were mornings where he'd been terrified Byleth was no longer alive, or worse, he'd awake to such a blood-curdling scream his hair stood at its ends like fine needles. He was only glad today was one of the mellower ones, wherein Byleth would awake, so drowsy and out of awareness, covered in a sheen of thick sweat despite barely breathing in his sleep.

The boy just nodded numbly, taking a towel from his father's hand and wiping himself off as best as he could before standing up to find some clean clothes, nothing like the bedwear he'd worn before, "It was about that... that young girl again..", he threw on his new linens and shuffled his shoes on hurriedly.

"You've described her to me before, but no matter now. The battlefield is no place for idle thoughts, besides we have a new job and we must leave soon. It is far away." His father stood, setting the wet clothes and linens on the bed so the cleaner may find them easier, "I've left a note for the owners, letting them know of our short leave. Let us depart shortly." Byleth just nodded wordlessly as he started to adjust his armours, now mostly ready, and just as he was about to give a real verbal response one of the mercenaries came in hurriedly.

"Jeralt! Sir! Your presence is needed."

"What for?"

The mercenary sighed, "Some kids are outside asking for help, seems like some bandits are causing trouble." Jeralt just nodded, turning to Byleth and jerking his head in direction of the door before following the mercenary out only to be greeted by three young adults. He followed them outside, and noticed how all three were intently looking at his father, heads slightly lowered in respect.

"Forgive our intrusion, we wouldn't bother you if it weren't urgent."

"What are three kids like you doing out here? Are those not academy uniforms? Far way from home."

Byleth looked to the students quietly, his father's stature covering him mostly as he stood behind him. The boy in blue carried on, clearly a little distressed, "We're being pursued by a group of bandits. I can only hope that you will kindly lend us your support." Jeralt's brows furrowed at the thought.

"How come?"

"They attacked us whilst we were resting at our camp." The girl pursed her lips, adjusting her red cape.

"We've been separated from our companions, and we're outnumbered. They're after our lives, and our gold."

Jeralt was about to respond when the same mercenary came back, alerting them of the incoming bandits. He looked toward Byleth and sighed tiredly before walking off to find his horse for battle, "We can't abandon the village now, let's move and take care of those thieves before they overrun it." He whistled, his horse coming to him before he quickly mounted it whilst the three students got in position.

❅

The blond boy quickly moved toward a close by enemy, he stopped with his left leg and swung his lance with a surprising amount of strength as the enemy fell to its knees in once hit, letting out a groan of pain mean whilst the snow-white haired girl let out a roar as she heaved her battle axe above her head and brought it down in a critical fashion, the thief before her falling back on its ass and letting out a final cry.

Byleth rushed behind another thief who had reached for another arrow to shoot at the girl quietly before stabbing them near the kidneys and kicking them to the ground before launching himself off that momentum and slaying their partner with a few slices. Another enemy with an axe ran to him speedily and swung heavy-handedly but missed and ended up slightly marring his forearm plate armour. Byleth glared at the man as he got into position to cut him down, and arrow had already embedded itself into his throat and he began to choke on his own blood whilst trying to breathe.

The teal-haired mercenary looked to the source and saw the earlier yellow-caped boy giving him a subtle wink, "Never underestimate an outsider!" He chuckled and went back to aiming from a distance at the rest of the enemies.

Byleth frowned a little at the gesture but carried on nonetheless as he heard an aged groan from a distance away, "Damn. Why are there mercenaries in the village? Guess we'll have to deal with them too." He furrowed his eyebrows as the voice got louder, "Hey, you with the blank stare! Outta my way!" He turned to see an old man with an axe swinging toward him. Byleth tried to dodge but still got sustained some damage in his main hand, as he felt his arm ebb and ache with pain he looked up to his opponent.

With an annoyed expression Byleth branded his iron sword with a less stable stance due to the wound and swung at the man's supporting arm, successfully giving him a deep wound before he jumped away with caution to cradle his own. This seemed to extremely anger the man as he let out an angry shout, "I'm gonna kill you where you stand for disrespecting the great Kustas, you brat !" 

As he began to charge, Byleth saw a flourish of royal blue fabric before him and saw a powerful swing of a lance toward the other man who let out a pained cough before running off somewhere not to far away, "Damn kids.." 

Byleth looked at the boy in front of himself, hearing him mumble to himself, "I must keep aiming higher.." He was about to thank him before he heard another frustrated roar and looked up to see the very same feral old man charge at the girl of the trio who was already caught off guard. He pushed past the boy and ran.

"You'll die!"

As he approached the girl who now brandished a small dagger and shielded her from the attack, but before they could dodge he felt a sharp pain in his back and a lump in his throat which rose up and out of his mouth as he tasted an iron-y substance. His eyes feverishly looked to the girl who seemed terrified, with slight drops of blood on her face. He felt himself slump forward and close his eyes tightly.

.

.

?

He stood there for a few seconds, expecting death to collect its next victim, yet nothing came and as he opened his eyes he was met with a familiar darkness. He looked frantically from side to side before straightening up and swaying around until there was a voice of a child.

_"I am no child! Besides, what do you think you accomplish by that little stunt?"_

He turned around in the darkness to see that familiar girl form his dreams.

_"It's almost like you want to get us both killed, fool!"_

Byleth jumped as she reclined back on her throne, giving a sigh as she waved her hand nonchalantly.

 _"I suppose I can forgive you, after all you know not the value of your life, so you're not going to protect it very well..."_ , her eyes shifted to Byleth, he looked so small from where she sat. _"I will take it upon myself to guide you from now on, since you clearly not know what you are doing, human! You may call me Sothis, but once I was known far and wide as 'The Beginning', of what I do not quite remember but it must've been something quite divine."_

With a step forward, he noted how much clearer she sounded than before. Not so distant anymore, not like she were drowning in the sea, tone heavy with slumber, "Sothis..."

She quickly leaned forward in her throne, hand tugging at the brutally rough arm rests. _"Indeed how odd! Before I was not quite able to recall my name and yet just like fog it crept upon me."_ Her grin wilted as she took note of Byleth's expression, _"Do you still think me a child? A child who does not even know her own name, the most basic of things?!"_ His face scrunched up uncomfortably, shrill voice grating against the inside of his skull that made his brain want to crawl out from within. How was he to know she was not a child with her build and voice, much less her outfit? _"You think these regal robes are befit of a child?! I should say I feel insulted had I not already considered you ignorant to the bone. You are less than a child, you are a mere speck within this tapestry and I am the loom which weaves you."_

"I apologise."

_"I will think ponder about my acceptance later, now let us deal with the matter at hand. You are of a true idiotic personage, have you no concern for your body? Do you think it not a temple? Let me try and help you not throw your life away so easily again."_

With a deep breath, she centred herself.

Byleth squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden light that came from the glowing intricate symbol in the air, and when he opened them he was back in battle, seconds before he died. He swung his sword from his side to clash against the man's axe, and twisting it out of his hand with a grunt and giving a swift kick to his knee, pointing his sword's edge against his neck in an unsaid threat.

"Hey!"

He looked to the sound's source to see the blonde and brunet run up to him, weapons still in hand before his father came into view, still on horseback. He watched as Jeralt got off his horse and got a bundle of rope off the size of his horse's saddle before he neared Kustas and bound his hands before rolling his eyes at a familiar voice.

"The students seem to be fine.. Huh? Is that..?" 

Jeralt turned to the voice and held back a groan of annoyance as the man with slicked back hair approached them, "Captain Jeralt? I knew it was you! Huh? Is that your son behind you?" Alois jerked his head toward Byleth's direction and Jeralt just grunted in affirmation, "Why don't you two come and join us up at the monastery? It has been a while since you last visited." He was specifically looking to Byleth, hoping to bank in on his curiosity. Jeralt looked to his son with a defeated gaze and crossed his arms, hand still holding onto his horse's leash. 

The blue-haired boy just nodded awkwardly before Alois' attention drifted back to his father as the sound of his exhausted sigh. "Don't think about running off again now." The man gave a hearty laugh as Jeralt climbed back onto his horse.

"Even I wouldn't dare run from the Knights of Seiros.."

With that he tapped the side of his horse gently, and they began to move away from Byleth and the three students.

_'The Knights of Seiros? They seem rather skilled, no?'_

Byleth gave a flinch as soon after the ghostly voice called out a rather transparent body appeared at his side, floating almost weightlessly in the air, it was the girl.

"Are you alright?"

He looked to the other voice, coming from one of the students before turning back to Sothis, unsure.

_'Seems your presence is required, well, go on. I'll still be here later.'_

Just as fast as she came, she had disappeared, dissolving into thin air before Byleth turned his back to walk up to the three dressed in primary colours and was immediately bombarded by questions and small talk. 

"I appreciate your help back there, your skill is beyond question, you're clearly a seasoned swordsman. Ah, and your father.. would he be _the_ Jeralt? The Blade Breaker?", Byleth just looked to her blankly as she bounced on her heels, eyes full of excitement to meet a possible idol, "Former captain of the Knights of Seiros, praised as the strongest knight to ever live... It would be a dream come true to meet someone so worthy of such admiration", she hummed, settling down a bit to keep her demeanour, "I forgot to say, my name is Edelgard. It is nice to meet you."

Byleth simply nodded, blank eyes boring into her expression, "I didn't know he was so famous. He doesn't like to talk much of his past, before I was born. I think it might be because of mother." There was a lull in the conversation before he noticed how maybe that wasn't so appropriate to bring up, "You can call me Byleth." He grunted out, not much for small talk.

The girl went back to smiling, "How curious! I'd wager the explanation for that is equally fascinating—!"

The brunet rolled his eyes with his constant smirk, "Hey. enough of that, you are coming to the monastery, right? I know Jeralt didn't seem so set on it but it'd be nice to get to know you better, I'd love to bend your ear as we travel if you do decide to tag along." He waved a stray hand as he talked before stretching it forward to Byleth. The other stared at it before grasping it, he wasn't exactly raised for such etiquette. The life of a mercenary is solitary and without much respect for higher class mannerisms and talk. That is, if anything his father taught him was true. "We're students from the officers academy at the monastery, and we were separated from the rest of our companions.. Thank you for the helping hand." He let go of the gloved hand with a wink, hands returning to his hips. 

"That would be because _you_ decided to turn tail and run off!" Edelgard seemed irritated by the idea of retreat it seemed, her expression was stern and cold, and she crossed her arms.

Claude smiled, "Ah yes, though I would call it a strategic retreat. And it would've worked if you two hadn't followed me and ruined it. But you must confess, then we wouldn't be here with such a handsome stranger." Though he seemed mostly annoyed, it was clear his flirtatious tendencies would stick around no matter what. 

Byleth looked on, watching the three of them squabble, and noting how Claude was pretty much outnumbered as even the blond one seemed annoyed at his antics, "And here I thought you were going to be a decoy for our sake." Edelgard shook her head turning her attention away from Claude and to the other.

"His intentions were as clear as day. You will prove a lacking leader if you cannot see the truth behind a person's words." 

The blond furrowed his brows," And you will make a lacking ruler if you look for deceit behind every word and fail to trust those whom you rely on." 

Claude rolled his eyes, "What a joy to see a live royal debate! I wonder how being utterly predictable affects one's ability to wield power. I would say both of you eek of naïveté." That only seemed to stir the pot further as Edelgard went back to lecturing him.

Byleth just turned toward the fire in the distance, and the blond looked at the silhouette of his rounded cheek, eyes drifting to examine his being before putting a hand on his shoulder, "I apologise for our behaviour, you are probably tired. I see your clothing has torn, is your arm alright?" His hand drifted down from his shoulder and toward his forearm. 

"...it's fine. I will heal it later, I just need a rest."

He hesitantly lowered his arm beneath his cloak, cheeks feeling hot as he turned his face fully away and started to walk off toward the fire where as he neared, he saw his father and those knights sitting on some logs. The other two seemed to catch on as they noticed him walk off, and they rushed after him eagerly.

"Ah! right, are you not injured from earlier—" 

"As I have said, it is nothing much. Do not waste worry on it." 

She pulled her mouth into a straight line as Byleth took a seat, and with a sigh she went to also sit down on the adjacent log, the other also took seats where they could and it was almost no surprise to her that the blond would take a seat next to him. She just rolled her eyes, warming herself with the fire.

Byleth unclasped his armour above his cloak and rolled his torn sleeve up as his father bandaged his wound for the time being and when he was finished, Byleth rested his head on Jeralt's shoulder, posture slumping into something more comfortable. He didn't even mind how the prince's foot bumped against his, and how their knees knocked together and he only opened his eye when Edelgard started to speak once more.

"Byleth.. your strength is amazing, and your skill is precisely what the Empire needs. If I can say, I would like for you to join the Adrestian Empire, especially as the pri—"

Dimitri looked irritated, "Halt. Neither of you had even allowed me to speak to him before this, and yet you want to try and recruit him for yourself?" Edelgard frowned at him but he shrugged it off and gave a strained smile, "As the crown prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, I must say we are in dire need of exceptional talent such as yourself. So, I hope you will consider returning to the kingdom with me." His face was fine, as if chiselled, and when he turned to Byleth his smile seemed more relaxed.

The seafoam-colour haired boy almost thought he looked somewhat _charming_. 

"You're both so hasty and tactless, you've just met them. Personally, I plan to—", at this point he closed his eyes again and heard Edelgard laughing at how Byleth was not receptive to Claude's charms.

_"You should be listening to them. they might have some important information to share on this monastery."_

He let out a sigh and sat up, "Sorry. I'm a bit tired, and my arm hurts." They all looked a little apologetic before asking who he would choose to side with, "Allegiance? Hmm. I don't care for allegiances, I am a raised mercenary after all. Yet if I had to pick..", his eyes glazed over each of them before they stuck on Dimitri, "I suppose I'd choose the holy Kingdom of Faerghus. I always did want to see the snow and forests." The prince seemed absolutely delighted, compared to the other two who seemed defeated.

Dimitri turned to him, face illuminated by the warm embers, and he gave him a soft smile whilst he spoke in a lowed tone, "I appreciate it. Faerghus is a noble kingdom, and one which is distinguished.. It had always valued chivalry. I hope we get to see the snow and woods together, in time."

"That's..", Byleth looked all over his face, lips pursed as he shook his head somewhat sheepishly, "Yeah. I hope so too." Then he looked away, eyes stuck to his lap.

Jeralt looked to the prince and then his son before sighing, giving Byleth a pat on the head.

"Anyway, I should get the students back to the monastery.. If you come with us we can heal you and give you a warm meal?" Alois said to Jeralt hopefully, and the latter nodded.

"Fine."

"Alright! Let us prepare our steeds and let you know when we are ready."

With that the three students left, following Alois.

_'What do you think of those three?'_

Byleth let out a low hum, which Jeralt mistook for a request to stroke his hair, so he began to play with son's hair. After a while of doing so, he pulled out a hair tie, and started combing his hair with his fingers, "So what did you think of them? They seem to be around the same age as you." He didn't even need to say anything about Dimitri to make Byleth embarrassed.

"They were nice."

"I see.", He pulled Byleth's hair into a bunch, enough to tie.

"Dimitri was very sincere, but maybe a little sad if anything."

_'And you like sincerity, don't you?'_

Sothis laughed as Byleth just glared at the air, ignoring the hotness that started to make his ears tingle. It wasn't his fault other people spoke in such a way he was not able to properly follow, and when he may have responded they would seem offended, as if he'd said something he never had in any shape or form (at least not of any way he had thought he had.)

"How about the other two?" Jeralt pulled the hair tie off his wrist and tied Byleth's hair securely.

"Claude seems a little mysterious. His smile doesn't seem very genuine.. but he's good with a bow."

"Right, he seems a little mischievous."

"Edelgard seems refined. I felt like she was trying to figure me out just by looking at me. She seemed very interested in you, though."

"Me?"

"I think you have a fan."

Jeralt let out a groan, scratching his neck, "I'm too old for that. I suppose if she wants training, she'll talk to me on her own." 

"Mh."

They sat in silence before Alois beckoned them with a shout atop his horse which made them put the fire out. Jeralt got upon his horse and he helped Byleth get up behind him with a hand, "You should rest a little. I'll wake you up later and you can talk to those three again, if you want. You don't have to.. we might not stay at the monastery for long."

"Okay."

At least he hoped they didn't, he felt Byleth nod into his back as he slumped forward, resting his head against his father's shoulder before closing his eyes.

"Ah.. What am I gonna do with you, kid?"

With that he urged his horse toward Alois and they set off on the dirt path, to the direction of the monastery, and Byleth fell asleep once again to meet that familiar girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so.. reposting this <:]c im not good at action scenes so please dont judge ksdkfjh im not used to writing fight scenes (^ ^)> also i plan on making the divine pulse have consequences because i think the lack of that in game was disappointing :/ it doesnt make sense!! TT_TT maybe after sothis and him fused it does 
> 
> anyway i will try to post chapters regularly but i have a lot of stuff going on in my personal life so it will most likely be a case of whenever i can focus enough to finish drafts for this n stuff. otherwise i will be writing oneshots and things as usual, so \\(- . -)/ 
> 
> thanks for reading :3c


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